Red Sword, Crimson Eyes
by Fifty Points of the Mind
Summary: Can anyone really have died if they never had a true soul? Someone special, and in a sense familiar, to Rei appears in the land of Eva
1. The Storm

No matter where I run, no matter where I hide, I let them find me, as a reminder of who I once was...  
-Anonymous  
  
Meiji Era  
Rain. Such a beautiful, yet cheerless, thing. Rain poured on Edo. The streets were bare, and all were inside, hiding from the torrents of it. All, that is, except for a lone figure, slowly making his way through beaten paths to the river. His hair was matted and water was freely streaming down to his clothes, but his eyes were vacant. He didn't notice. He neared the bridge, walking in a surreal and tired gait. In his wrist-guarded hand, he clutched a red wakazashi.   
  
The unmistakable smell of iron and flesh wrapped around this man as he reached the middle of the bridge. Great sadness surrounded the boy, giving him an aura of intense emotion. He ran his fingers through his hair, more of a reflex than a real action, for he did not notice as the hair just went back down into they're original place. His eyes were as blue as the shirt he wore, brilliant as the sky, yet covered by his dark bangs. Under the drenched bangs and dead blue eyes, a smile appeared. A smile that was never supposed to surface on the face of the young man again.   
  
He stopped and looked at the sword in his hand, the red almost completely vanished through the waves of water sliding over it. And he laughed. He laughed. But the laugh was cold, without mirth, and without true cause.  
  
Tokyo-3, 2015  
Ayanami Rei sat up from her bed as the sound of rain outside continued. It bothered her. Rain... it... should not rain... She recalled the weather forecast for that day, and she found this sort of noncompliance with set rules... discerning. She walked around for a while, just walking, around her apartment. She reached her kitchen. Then she stopped. Rei stood there, in her kitchen for a while, in her pajamas, just listening o the rain. How sweet your life must be... to only know freedom even when you don't exist at all.  
  
Meiji Era  
"So, Shishio-san, it looks as if my wandering ends here..." Soujirou whispered with a raspy voice to his long dead master. About a year had past since that eventful campaign had ended, yet he still held on to the memories of a past long forgotten and half-remembered. "...And it looks as if I could not escape my past, either, Battousai..." he continued.  
  
The rain battered harder, but Soujirou did not care. The screams of past victims he had slain still ravaged his mind. "If only..." he whispered, the smile still plastered on his lips. Last night, three men attacked Soujirou in an alley, but they were young and arrogant. He could have made an escape easily, but something stirred in Soujirou that night. Something he thought he had buried a long time ago since he became a rurouni.  
  
He had killed them. He did not have a reason; he did not even give them a chance to defend themselves. He killed them, just struck them senseless to hell. "Ha, and I thought that I would have changed..." he muttered, his eyes sinking into his socket, his voice more hysterical than before. Soujirou was shivering a bit, because of the cold, but his thoughts were still in his own world. "This life is meaningless." he sighed to the cold.  
  
"And what do you think you're going to do about it, my young friend?" A familiar voice said from behind him.   
  
Soujirou did not even turn, for he knew who it was just by the sound of that voice. "After so many months, you only come now, Shishio-san?" He said, regaining composure in the sure voice of his master. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Seta; I thought you were stronger than this." The voice said, stressing the last phrase. " Such a welcome illusion, but I shall not be fooled. Get out of my head, demon, you are not Makoto Shishio." Soujirou answered, shaking his head from side to side.  
  
"How can I be in your mind, when I cannot even fit in your clothes?" The voice joked, chuckling to itself. Soujirou laughed along. "You could always make me smile, Shishio-san, but God knows that doesn't take much to get out of me." The Tenken replied, his voice cheerful but his hands were tensing on the bridge railing.  
  
"Very well, Seta, then I shall leave you." he said, his voice fading. "Remember, I will be waiting for you when you arrive here, Soujirou. I will be waiting when you arrive." Shishio said before he fainted completely and a new voice took his place.  
  
Soujirou knew exactly what his master was talking about. In his mind he saw the former masters of hell, lying at Shishio-san's feet, with Yume at his side and Houji fanatically cheering the dead hitokiri on. "At least I shall know that you have found some solace, Shishio-san." he thought, relishing the thought of an underworld ruled by a killer like Makoto.  
  
Tokyo-3, 2015  
  
The next hour, she was outside, on the roof of her building, the rain still storming on above her. She headed along the edge of the apex, her eyes burning a fire even brighter than the red that usually shown. Lightning crackled above, yet she knew what she was doing. She took a few, uneasy steps towards the edge and looked down. No one was there. With luck, they might not notice her till the rain will stop, and she would be free by then. No more tests, no more false charades, no more acting for that manipulative pig commander of hers. And most importantly, no more pain.  
  
Meiji Era  
"So what are you going to do now, eh? Soujirou?" A new voice questioned him again, testing him. Soujirou noticed the calm voice, it reminded him of someone, someone he couldn't remember. "Who are you?" Soujirou shot back, his smile, though not totally gone, but replaced with a semi-frown. "I believe the question is who are you?" It replied, now forcefully, nearing Soujirou with its ethereal presence.  
  
"I am the feared Tenken, Seta Soujirou; number one of the infamous Juppon Gatana, right-hand man to the former hitokiri turned would-be conqueror Makoto Shishio." Soujirou replied, his head bowed down as he leaned on the bridge's railing. "Ah, but that was a man who had long ago died, along with the memories of that time destroyed by the Meiji government." The voice replied, still shapeless and unbiased.   
  
The calmness of the voice shocked Soujirou. Was this how I sounded like when I killed my victims? He questioned himself, shaking his head softly from side to side in disbelief. The voice noticed this change, but only continued to badger him with its question. "Answer me, Tenken, what are you to do now?" The voice asked, now forcefully, making sure that Soujirou could no longer ignore him. That was when he snapped. His voice started shakily, but gained strength as his anger grew within him.  
  
"And what are you suggesting, that I betray my former master like the rest of those cowards? That I become what I was the most against? To shrivel up and die because my cause has gone with it?" Soujirou exploded, years of unvoiced opinions, hatred and fear giving fire to his outcry. This time, Soujirou's hands were raw and bloody from gripping the handrail so tight, but he did not notice.  
  
"Ah, so it is true then. The great Tenken no Soujirou can hold hatred in his heart." the voice said, detached as ever. Soujirou's smile failed for a bit, but he grinned and continued. "You have no right to judge me." he replied. "And do you have the right to judge the fate of those men!" the voice said angrily. Soujirou was taken aback by this burst . "The right to judge was never mine." he replied curtly, still in his cheery voice. "Then what do you have the right to judge with..." the voice asked, now back into its neutral "...now that the choice is yours?"  
  
This tore him. "To die and to live, is that all you have to offer?" Soujirou screamed, finally breaking under the pressure his mind was on. He turned and faced this voice, turned to see his tormentor, only to find himself. "But, my dear friend, to die, you must have lived..." the ghost Soujirou replied.  
  
Soujirou's eyes widened in shock, as the ghost Soujirou, the voice that he remembered but could not place, was his own. The ghost slipped away, as sounds of oncoming policemen and hound dogs gave way to reality. Soujirou heard them, but he didn't turn. He was too busy thinking about what he just heard. To die, you must have lived... He heard the dogs barking, he heard the policemen shouting for him to surrender. He even heard the gun cocking in the rifleman's hand. But he didn't notice.  
  
Time slowed down as the militiaman pulled the trigger to the gun, the sound exploding in Soujirou's ear. He didn't even flinch. The pain was like a shock, but he didn't even balk. Soujirou never really knew fear, so he wasn't afraid of death. Of course... he thought as his body gave a great shudder and he fell to his knees ...to die, I would have had to live. And everything grew dark as Soujirou's senses numbed...  
  
Tokyo-3, 2015  
She steadied herself for the leap, rain running down her face. No, not rain. Tears. Yes, tears. Tears of fear, tears of joy, tears of hatred, tears of lost requisitions. "Death is escape, I guess." she said to no one, her mind running on how she was going to end this. But then, something rustled behind her. "Yes, but what is death if you have not lived?" said a cheery voice.   
  
Soujirou lay near the opening of the stairway, his hand clutching the wound at his side, which was bleeding freely now. His vision was still sharp, though, even as the rain and the waves of pain washed over him, but he squinted to see where he was. Rei turned to see the smiling young man behind her, and gasped at the sight. He had a familiar smell. The thick, rusty smell. LCL. Except it wasn't LCL. There was something different to this. For the first time in Rei's life, she had smelt someone else's actual blood.  
  
Soujirou felt the slight tremor of surprise that had broke out from Rei's form, but after that, emptiness. So lonely... Soujirou thought as he still held his side. Rei looked at the man. "You have a serious injury. There is a telephone in the hall. I apologize as I am... indisposed at the moment." she replied in her monotone voice, yet her eyes still burned at the act she was about to do.  
  
The Tenken just nodded and shakily stood up, using the doorknob as a support. "I am sorry to see that I have interrupted something that is obviously very important to you, Miss, but I cannot let you partake on what you are about to do." he answered, his voice heavy. "Do not try to stop me..." was all Rei could muster up, seeing that this person was struggling so hard against his own pain to keep her from taking her life. Just like Ikari-kun.  
  
"Please, young miss..." Soujirou began with his back straight, yet staggering towards Rei "...I once made a vow to not let anyone be hurt if I am present. I broke that vow today, yet I will do all in my power to try and see if I can at least preserve one life before my own slips away entirely."  
  
"Too late." Rei stated, as she leaned towards the edge of the building. She felt the rush of air as she stepped of the building, hurtling into the pavement below. Soujirou did not seem fazed. With his fast depleting strength, he preformed his Shukuchi, his heavenly speed, along the side of the building. The earth shook as he stepped off and launched himself to the falling girl.  
  
The distance between them shrank in an instant. Soujirou ran down. The street was coming up, so with some effort, Soujirou undid his sword from his scabbard and plunged it into the side of the building, slowing their fall. He landed roughly, but he had saved Ayanami from being a splat on the earth. Soujirou was now carrying the shivering Rei in his arms, genuflecting on the sidewalk, breathing heavily. The rain was letting up, and the dawn was just arriving, giving the background a surreal effect.   
  
The people around the scene notice the blood on Soujirou's hakama, and started to call for ambulances. "Hey, that kid's got a wound!" "Get an ambulance, quick!" and more were heard. Amidst the ruckus, Rei turned to see her unwitting savior, her eyes dazed and confused. "Wh-why did you do that." she asked with a quivering voice, just as she began to black out from shock. "Heh, seemed like such a waste to see you die." she heard him right before she collapsed into darkness..  
  
Author's notes:  
So this is it. The thing that has been on my back for about a month. Crossover between NGE and Rurouni K. Sorry if the beginning showed too much Meiji era, but since the whole fic' ll be set in Tokyo-3 from this point on, I have to give some background on Seta. For those who are not familiar with Rurouni Kenshin, or Samurai X to some countries, Soujirou Seta is a character from the Kyoto arc under the tutelage of Shishio Makoto, a man who doesn't mirror Gendou in all rights, but just as manipulative nonetheless. Seta's just as messed up as the other NGE characters, with his smile for all seasons, the killing of his family with his own hand, the hanging out with egomaniacal maniacs like the Juppon Gatana so I was mucking up with the idea of throwing him into the mix. 


	2. The Fury of the Next

Disclaimer: I do not claim Eva, nor do I ever want to own Eva. I would rather own Spider-man or Rurouni Kenshin, but sadly, I do not own either of those also. I am only borrowing them for the purpose of this story.  
  
She looks so...peaceful. Shinji Ikari thought guiltily as he watched by the bedside of Rei Ayanami. Her chest rose and fell lightly as Shinji held her hand. "Why, Rei, why?" He questioned the sleeping girl.  
  
A few hours back,  
  
....Hello, yes, Misato? Rei did what?!, hold on, I'll be there in a second...  
  
...the officials aren't sure, but from what I gather, Rei attempted to commit suicide at around midnight during the storm. She was saved by a rather strange young man that carried a sword...  
  
....A John Doe case? There's absolutely no background data for that young man, not even in MAGI?!...  
  
...What the hell do you mean intense mental trauma? Just get her back in action...  
  
...Shinji, I know that this might be hard for you, but for now, you are the only Eva pilot left in Tokyo-3...  
  
Present,  
"Rei, please wake up... I, I can't do this alone anymore." Shinji started off with a shaky voice, his head held low. "First Asuka, then you. All the people in my life are slipping into this, this thing, and I'm afraid, you know, really afraid, that you guys 'll never wake up. I don't care what you are, clone or no clone, you'll always be Rei. Whose going to be next? Misato? Already I've lost Kowaru, I've hurt Toji and..." Shinji never had the chance to finish his list when a hand lightly touched his face. "Do not fear, Third Child, I'm still here." With that, Shinji fell a sobbing mass into Rei's arms.  
  
For the previous days, let the record show that Shinji has spent about 40% percent of his time, including hours sleeping, in the hospital, 17% for each of the girls, and 6% to the mysterious man that had saved Rei. (geez, for the amount of time that boy spends with wackos, you'd think he'd be up there with Rasputin, Hitler, and maybe even his father)  
  
Shinji pushed Rei on a wheelchair through the hospital. They were going to visit Asuka, who was in a different wing. Shinji was actually the one who wanted to see her, but since Rei was in the hospital too, and   
since he didn't see any harm with this, he had asked Rei to come with him.  
  
When they got there, Asuka wasn't as big of a mess as they thought she would be. Her monitor was stable, and other than her wrists and all of the tubes hooked up to her, the only difference was that she looked paler and her hair had lost some of it's luster. Well, she was still her.  
  
As usual, Rei didn't have much to say so Shinji was left to describe what has happened the last few days. "Well, I guess the first place to start was when they got you into the ambulance." Rei only nodded slightly at this, and Shinji continued. That person, umm, Soujirou, I think, blacked out as soon as the medics got to you." Now this got Rei's attention.   
  
"That boy, what did you say his name was?" she asked, her voice not revealing any of her feelings. "Oh, him, his name is Soujirou." Shinji replied, eager to strike up a conversation with the First. "We really don't know anything about him other than the fact that he dresses like some of those old pictures of 18th century townsfolk, and that he had a pretty big ball of lead lodged into his hip when he got here."  
  
"Soujirou..." Rei said, as if tasting the name. What a strange, strange lad. "Where is he now?" she asked suddenly. Shinji's eyes widened with surprise at such an abrupt question. Even Rei was taken aback by her sudden interest in the boy. "Well, he's in the 301." Shinji answered, still trying to recover from Rei's outburst. "The room across the hallway?" she asked, more of a statement than a request. "Yes, but-" Shinji didn't even have time to finish as Rei amazingly got up from her wheelchair and walked briskly to the door in the other side of the wing. "-I don't think you would want to see him just yet."  
  
Rei didn't even bother to close the door after she slammed it open. She saw the creature that was called Soujirou. He was about ten times worse than what Asuka looked like. He was hooked up to a respirator, his hand had several tubes going through it, and his side was bandage with tubes sticking out of those too. But Rei looked over these, and stared at the boy. "You..." Rei said with her voice dripping with about as much venom as she could muster. The heart monitor was the only sound that filled the room when Shinji came in and quietly shut the door behind him.  
  
That is, until Rei exploded. "YOU ARE THE CAUSE OF ALL THIS!" she screamed, her eyes burning once more. "Why didn't you just leave me there to die, huh? Why couldn't you have just left me alone!" she grilled the comatose Soujirou. Shinji was shocked at this new side of Rei, but he kept his distance. There was not telling what might happen to him if he made any moves.  
  
Rei had tears now. But these were different from the tears she had last night. These were the tears of pure hatred. "Why did you come? Why did you take away all that I had left?" Silence. She was over Soujirou now, her body twitching with fury. Shinji stepped closer. Rei looked on Soujirou's face again, her tears trickling down over transparent plastic mask of the respirator.  
  
"Why do you still smile?" she whispered, as she collapsed to the floor, weeping, her body clinging to the bed while her legs buckled and she kneeled on the floor. Shinji neared her on the floor and put his arms on her shoulders, trying to comfort her. Rei turned to Shinji, her eyes watering. "Why does he still smile?" she asked in a low voice, and she cried into Shinji's chest. And Shinji held her, as long as she needed. This was really turning out to be something that might change everything for the lives of the Children.  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Well, there you have it. Chapter Two of Red Sword, Crimson Eyes. This really started out just to tell you where everybody else is in the series, but I went AWOL and did the anger scene instead. I'm thinking of posting another version of chapter two later on and see what you will think about it. Then I'll continue the story from what you think is the better one. Your reviews are always welcome, whether or not your about to burn me to a crisp with flames or congratulate me. I focused on the Rei and Shinji in this chapter more to make up for all the space the Meiji Era took up last chapter, though I still don't know what to do with Asuka. For those that want to know, I had Rei take this emotional outburst as something like what Soujirou had when he was fighting Kenshin and blew up on Kenshin's face about why the Rurouni kept the philosophy of protecting the weak, the philosophy that totally went against his and his masters, a kind of culture shock to the next level, so to say. This is just something to help Rei relate to Soujirou a little better. Well, that's it for now. I'll be posting up the alternative chapter soon, so keep from reviewing about what happens in the third chapter until you read the second version. 


	3. Khaki pants and Synch tests

A few days later Soujirou awoke, his body aching all over. His side was bandaged, and a smell that he could only place as very clean wafted through his nose. He found tubes running up both of his hands, and felt as if he would vomit at any moment. His hakama and kimono were taken off and he was in a very thin white gown. Most people would find this to be uncomfortable at the least. This however, made no difference to him. "Today is going to be a beautiful day." Was the only thought as he opened his eyes, as his usual optimism sank back even in the midst of his pain.  
  
He stirred and sat up, ignoring the tubes that were loosely strapped around his arms. He noticed that he wasn't alone in the room, and soon gazed at a familiar blue haired girl, sitting calmly by the window, reading a book. "Ah, good morning, young miss. Isn't it a wonderful day?" He said cheerfully. Rei lowered her book, and blinked in surprise. She started to stare at Soujirou, who only waved back. "You are awake." She stated simply, standing up and heading towards the door. "I shall inform the doctors of your state." She said, before closing the door softly. Soujirou sighed, and lay back down on the bed, his arm over his forehead.  
  
"What a strange, strange girl." He said quietly, inspecting the things that were sticking to his wrists. "What are these?" He thought as he tugged at one of the IV's. He soon realized his mistake and let go as a shock of pain ran up his arm. "Looks as if that will be staying. At least for now anyway." He said to himself, rubbing his wrist. "Where am I?" He thought as he took a longer look at the room he was in. It reminded him of the hospitals he had seen in Kyoto, but much more..._white_. He looked to his side and strange boxes with little jagged lines beeped, almost like the telegraph machines that Houji used when he wanted to talk to someone far away. He looked up and saw strange white rods, giving of a soft glow. One thing that he did recognize, though, was a small clock on one of the walls. It still gave off the familiar ticking sound, and it read 9:30. What was strange, though, was it was very thin, with absolutely no gears or pendulums to it, and he wondered how it was running without any means of power.  
  
He was about to wonder more about these things, when the door opened, ushering in a few people. One he recognized immediately as the girl he had saved. He gave her a little wave, which Rei ignored, and continued to look at the other three people in front of him. He established that one of them was a doctor, but the other two he couldn't put a finger on. One was a rather young looking woman in a red jacket, and the other was a rather depressed looking boy with brown hair and deep blue eyes that would have rivaled his own if he would have raised his head.  
  
Soujirou immediately had his manners kick in, and greeted them all warmly. "Oh, hello, doctor." He said, making sure by the nod of the man's head that he had the title right. "Good morning, Mister Seta." The woman in the red jacket said, acknowledging him. "Ah, good morning, Major Katsuragi, and please, call me Soujirou." Soujirou replied. This surprised Misato. She heard that this boy was strange, but this was freaky. "H-how did you?" She stuttered, pointing a finger at the still smiling Soujirou. "Well, Major Katsuragi-san, you do look like a Katsuragi. I mean, the eyes, the hair, facial structure. Yup, I would say that you very much look like a Katsuragi." Soujirou said matter of fact-ly, causing an even greater sweat drop on Misato's head.  
  
Seeing, this, Soujirou couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "Plus, it says so on your visitor's I.D." Soujirou said, finally letting on to his secret. Misato looked down at the little nametag pinned to her chest and saw what Seta was talking about. "My I.D." she said and nodded, finally catching on to Soujirou's little game. Soujirou just continued to smile as Shinji and Rei began to eye him suspiciously.  
  
"You needed something, Major Katsuragi-san?" He finally said, breaking the silence. "Err, yes. Seta-san-" she began but was cut off by Soujirou again. "Please, call me Soujirou." He said again, insisting the use of his first name. "Well, _Soujirou_..." Misato continued, earning a small nod from Soujirou "... That is the problem. We can't tell if you really are who you say you are."  
  
"Why not? Aren't you working for the government?" Soujirou asked. "We're the ones who are going to ask the questions, Soujirou." Misato replied. "Ah, gomen, Katsuragi-san. I forgot my place..." Soujirou replied, raising his hands in defense. "... It's just that if you are working for the military, which I am sure, you are; I'm surprised that you haven't killed me outright yet." Soujirou finished, his smile still intact, but there was now a glint in his eye.  
  
This took Misato aback, but she pushed on. "And why is that, Soujirou?" She asked cautiously. This might turn out to be interesting. "Have you not checked my background, Katsuragi-san?" Soujirou asked. "Well, Soujirou. That is the whole problem. You have no background. No past. Nothing. It's as if you never existed."  
  
"Ah, then the Meiji have covered it up better than I've thought." Soujirou said thoughtfully, more to himself than to anyone. "The Meiji?" Misato said incredulously. "What are you talking about? The Meiji era is long past." Shinji said, shaking his head. "Ended? I know that I am not as informed as I used to be, but even something this large should have not gone past my attention." Soujirou said, still keeping his smiling mask, even as the seed of doubt slowly crept through his mind, overriding his hardwired training and giving him some discomfort.  
  
"Mr. Seta, the Meiji system of government has been over for almost two- hundred years now. It is highly unlikely that this has been of anything "large" in recent times." Rei said quietly in her monotone. Her openness surprised Shinji and Misato a bit.  
  
"Two hundred years..." asked Soujirou, gaining his composure once more after the shock. He turned slowly from the machines in the side of the room, then to the doctor, Misato, and Shinji. This should explain why everything seems so strange, but still..."Is this some sort of joke?!" Soujirou said shakily, almost giggling a bit at the revelation. "What do you mean, Soujirou?" Misato asked, puzzled by his reaction.  
  
Soujirou's training kicked in and he feigned ignorance. "Oh, nothing, Katsuragi-san, nothing." he answered, waving it off. Misato shrugged the little outburst aside, and continued her interrogation. "Well. Soujirou- san. Continuing our little conversation, I would like to ask why you carried a sword in broad daylight." she said. Since Soujirou knew that if this woman was telling the truth, he might as well tell the truth also.  
  
"Alright, Katsuragi-san, if you insist. I am a rurouni. Simple as that. I was just passing by at the time when Miss?" he said, motioning to Rei. "Ayanami, Rei." Rei answered, surprised that she even acknowledged his question at all. "Yes, Ayanami-san, was about to perform an act she might later regret." he said, turning his attention back to the Major.  
  
"So what you're telling me is that you, Seta-san-"Misato began but was cut off once more. "Please, call me Soujirou..." he interrupted. "Err, yes, Soujirou, that you, at twelve o'clock midnight, in the middle of a storm, on top of a huge abandoned building, with a serious wound in your abdomen, just happened to save one of the pilots of Evangelion, completely unaided except for a sword, from which when we analyzed shown immense traces of human tissue, from a seemingly elevated height, out of the sheer goodness of a rurouni's conscience?!" Misato said incredulously, her face slightly pink. "Umm, when you put it that way, yes...Yes I did..." Soujirou said with a smile, seemingly oblivious to the fact that his story was completely outrageous, and that most of the people in his room all face faulted at his calm answer.  
  
At this, Misato just frowned, and turned to the doctor. "Well, it looks as if you were correct, doctor. This guy is a nut. Please see to it that this man receives the help he needs." she then turned to the pilots. "I believe we are through here. Shinji, Rei, c'mon were just wasting-" Misato started before her ringing cell phone cut her off. She looked at the caller id and answered. "Hello. What? A synch test. Ok, I'll bring the kids in as soon as possible. Shinji, Rei, c'mon." She said, motioning out the door.  
  
As soon as they were out the door, Soujirou had regained his senses. "Doctor, where are my things?" Soujirou said to the doctor that had just come in to check the machines that had been running. "Oh, I don't think that you're going to be moving around for- Urk!" the doctor didn't have time to finish what he was saying as an I.V. tube wrapped around his neck, with the presumably bedridden Soujirou holding the two ends tightly. "Now, I will ask only once more, doctor. _Where_ _are_ _my _ _things_?" Soujirou reiterated, still smiling as he continued to strangle the doctor. "C- closet." the doctor mouthed, his voice giving out as he pointed to the small door on the other side of the room. "Ah, arigato, doctor..." Soujirou brightened, taking off the I.V. from his neck.  
  
The man instantly started to go for the emergency button behind Soujirou's bed, but found a searing pain in his neck then... nothing. "Ah, you shouldn't have moved so suddenly, doctor. Now you stay there and enjoy your nap while I see what exactly is happening around me, and if it really is two hundred years in the future." he whispered in the doctor's ear as he delivered a quick blow to the man's neck, rendering him unconscious. Soujirou looked at the tubes that still bound him to his bed and, with one swift motion, pulled them all out without even a flinch. "Messy messy." Soujirou said happily as the sight of blood instantly heightened his senses.  
  
He grabbed one of the blankets on the bed and ripped out one long strip, and proceeded to wrap the wound. "Hmm, still messy, but it will be all that I need for now." he thought, as the bandage started to show a small red stain. He silently put on his clothes. "Ah, it seems as if they took away my sword." he said to himself, as he put on his Western-style shirt. He looked around to see if his jacket or his hakama was around, but only found a worn pair of khaki pants. "Well, I guess this will have to do."  
  
After that, he walked out the door, closing it silently behind him. With that, the lone Soujirou disappeared into the shadows of the NERV hospital, following the unsuspecting Eva pilots towards their destination...  
  
Notes:  
  
Damn. I need to make a second draft...  
  
This chapter seems so forced, I know I could have done better. Does anyone know if the hospital and NERV are close together? Well, that's all I have to say for this chapter. Criticism. either good or bad is always welcome.  
  
-FPotM 


End file.
